The Las Vegas Raiders are in the market for a quarterback this offseason.
Since Derek Carr's departure, the team has struggled to find consistency at that position for the last few seasons. It has led to a lack of success on the offensive side of the ball.
New head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek should be evaluating all options to improve at the most important position in football. Nailing that position could lead to years of success for the Silver and Black.
One option the Raiders could consider is a player still currently on a roster: Atlanta Falcons’ Kirk Cousins.
After signing the veteran to a four-year, $180 million contract, the Falcons expected Cousins to get their offense over the hump. It looked like it was working for a while, but Cousins’ play fell off a cliff towards the middle of the season.
The Falcons benched Cousins after defeating the Raiders in December, opting for rookie Michael Penix Jr., who was a popular Raiders target in last year’s draft.
The expectation is that the Falcons will release Cousins and designate him as a post-June 1 cut, taking on $65 million in dead cap. If the Raiders are interested in Cousins, they would only have to take on $37.5 million in guaranteed money.
If that happens, the Raiders pursuing the soon-to-be 37-year-old would make sense.
While Cousins’ best football is likely behind him, as evidenced by his 2024 campaign, there were still moments where he looked like the pre-Achilles injury version of himself. Cousins built his career on smart decision-making and timing-based passing, which does not disappear with age.
The Raiders could do what the Pittsburgh Steelers did with Russell Wilson: sign him to a league-minimum ‘prove-it’ deal and let him be a potential bridge for the next quarterback. However, Cousins likely does not want to do that, as that was why he left the Minnesota Vikings.
If Carroll and Spytek want a short-term option they can compete with in 2025, Cousins could be a good fit. He may take some time to adjust to new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly’s system, but he should be able to settle in if he is healthy.
Cousins played good football before injuring his shoulder against the New Orleans Saints. He has not officially been released yet, but it would not be surprising to see Las Vegas show interest if that becomes a reality, which is the expectation.
